acuminate -
an apex (such at the tip of a leaf) with sides gradually concave and tapering to a point
acute -
tapering to an apex with more or less straight sides
alternate -
parts (as leaves) situated one at a node
aril -
tissue that forms a fleshy covering of the seed, as in Taxum and Torreya, or rudimentary at the base of the fleshy seed, as in Cephalotaxus
bristle -
stiff hair
bud scale -
covering which protects the embryonic tissue of a bud
calyx -
the outer set of segments (sepals) or envelope of a flower; usually green in color and smaller than the inner set (i.e. petals)
compound -
subdivided into several distinct parts; such as leaflets in a compound leaf (e.g., black walnut)
cordate -
heart-shaped, with the notch at the base
crenate -
rounded teeth on a margin
crenate-serrate -
having a mixture of blunt and sharp teeth
crenulate -
very small rounded teeth on a margin
cuneate -
wedge-shaped; triangular and tapering to a point at the base
cyme -
a flat or round-topped determinate inflorescence, in which the terminal flower blooms first
dentate -
having marginal teeth whose apices are perpendicular to the margin and do not point forward
dioecious -
flowers imperfect, the staminate (male) and pistillate (female) flowers borne on different plants
double flower -
one with more than the usual number of petals, colored sepals or bracts (frequently double the usual number)
doubly serrate -
serrations bearing minute teeth on margin
elliptic -
in the shape of an ellipse, or a narrow oval; broadest at the middle and narrower at the two equal ends
emarginate -
slight notch at the an apex
entire -
having a margin without teeth or crenations
fastigiate -
branches erect and close together
glabrous -
not hairy (A glabrous surface need not be smooth, it could be bumpy)
glaucous -
covered with a waxy bloom which rubs off easily (e g bloom on a blueberry fruit)
globose -
round or spherical-like
hairy -
pubescent with longer hairs
herbaceous -
lacking a persistent woody stem above ground
hip -
the fruit of a rose
imbricated -
overlapping, such as roof shingle
imperfect flowers -
one that lacks either stamens (the male parts) or pistils (the female parts)
indeterminate -
describes an inflorescence in which the lower or outer flowers bloom first, thus allowing indefinite elongation of the main axis
inflorescence -
a flower cluster; the arrangement of the flowers on the flowering axis
internode -
the part of a stem between nodes
lanceolate -
lance-shaped; much longer than wide, with the widest point below the middle and tapering to the apex
lateral bud -
a bud borne in the axil of a leaf
leaf scar -
the mark on a twig after a leaf falls
lenticel -
a small corky spot on young bark made of loosely packed cells
linear -
resembling a line; long and narrow with more or less parallel sides
lustrous -
having a slight metallic gloss, less reflective than glossy
midrib -
the primary-rib or mid-vein of a leaf
monoecious -
flowers imperfect, the staminate (male) and pistillate (flowers) borne of the same plant (compare dioecious)
mucronate -
abruptly terminated by a sharp point, a mucro
naked bud -
one without scales
nodding -
drooping, bending over
node -
a joint on a stem (point of origin of a leaf or bud)
ob- -
a prefix indicating the inverse
oblong -
longer than broad, rectangular, sides more or less parallel
obovate -
the inverse of ovate, broadest above the middle
ocrea (ochrea) -
a tubular stipule or a pair of stipules united into a sheath
opposite -
two parts (such as leaves) at a node
ovate -
egg-shaped in outline; broadest below the middle, oval-like
ovoid -
an egg-shaped three dimensional solid
ovule -
the egg-containing unit of the ovary, develops into the seed
palmate -
radiating fan-like from a common point
panicle -
a branched indeterminate inflorescence [flower cluster] with flowers maturing from the bottom upwards
perfect flowers -
have both functional stamens (male parts) and pistils (female parts)
petiole -
the leaf stalk
petiolule -
the stalk of a leaflet
pinnate -
segments along each side of a common axis
pith -
the soft tissue in inner central portion of a stem
polygamous -
bearing unisexual and bisexual flowers on the same plant
prickle -
a small, sharp, outgrowth of the epidermis or bark (compare spine and thorn)
prostrate -
lying flat on the ground, a general term
proximal -
toward the base
pubescent -
covered with short hairs, a general term
raceme -
an unbranched, elongated inflorescence with flowers maturing from the bottom upwards
samara -
a dry indehiscent fruit bearing a wing, Examples: ash, maple
sepal -
a division of the calyx; the outermost floral organs
serrate -
saw toothed, teeth pointing forward
serrulate -
minutely serrate
sessile -
without a stalk
simple -
undivided, as a leaf blade which in not separated into separate leaflets (e.g., elm leaf), (though the blade may be deeply lobed as in many maple leaves), compare to the term, compound.
spine -
a stiff, slender, sharp-pointed structure arising from below the epidermis; representing a modified leaf or stipule. Sometime applied to structure with the appearance of a true spine
thorn -
a stiff, woody, modified stem with a sharp point, sometimes applied to anything resembling a true thorn (see spine and prickle)
tomentose -
densely woolly, hairs soft and matted
tomentum -
dense matted hairs
torus -
the recepticle of a flower (in blackberries it remains with the fruit when picked)
trifoliate -
three leaved; or a leaf with three leaflets (correct term is actually trifoliolate)
truncate -
as if cut off at right angels to the primary axis
umbel -
an unbranched inflorescence in which the stalks (pedicels) arise from a common point, like the struts of an umbrella
undulate -
wavy, said of a margin
var. -
an abbreviation of variety, Latin varietas. In the botanical sense, variety is a population of plants of a species that display marked differences in nature, and these differences are transmitted by seed (i e , inherited). Sometimes subspecies (abbreviated ssp) is used in place of variety. Their use depends upon the taxonomic "school" of the writer.